She's Like the Wind
by LittleBlackStarz
Summary: Gil and Sara are back together, and Catherine finds herself feeling lonely. After a bottle of wine and a welcomed kiss from Warrick, she finds herself in a whirlwind of emotion. But nothing is ever perfect for long...Sequel to "Just Another Girl"
1. Wine and Phone Calls

Disclaimer: This story is a sequel to Just Another Girl, so in order to really understand this fic its best if you read the other one first (it's not too long, so read it!). Thanks!

PS- Umm...so since we don't know if Warrick is going to live now thanks to the newest episode, this story is based on the idea that he lives and continues work (just as a lab tech, though)...and we'll say it takes place about two months after he is shot. I realize that this is very unlikely to actually happen in the series, but then again, that's what fanfiction is for!

**She's Like the Wind**

It must've been the devil who invented alcohol, because nothing could ever feel so sinfully good.

Catherine Willows sipped the blood red wine in her glass, relishing in the bitter sweet sting it left on her tongue. Just like life, she thought with a laugh. Life was always so annoyingly bitter sweet.

She'd been shocked when she had initially heard of the affair between Grissom and Sara, and even more shocked when Sara had suddenly booked it out of Vegas. And again even more amazed when Sara returned, and suddenly she and Gil were ready to be married again.

How nice that everything worked out for them, she thought enviously. She was insanely happy for Grissom and Sara, but couldn't help but feel a sting of jealousy over the whole situation. Why had none of her relationships ever worked out? Maybe there was just something inherently wrong with her that made her impossible to love.

With a sigh, she downed the rest of the wine in her glass and reached over to pour herself another. She needed to find another sinner like herself, she smirked. Someone who wouldn't judge her past but instead embrace the good person she had become. At least, she thought she was a good person.

She looked back at the past 15 years of her life and knew herself as at least a half decent person. She took care of her daughter and tried to provide the best for her (even if Lindsey still insisted upon revolting). She'd gotten herself an education in a field that she was passionate about, and had risen through the ranks to one of the top positions. But there had been something missing from her life during those 15 years, something that she pushed away and denied herself, but suddenly she felt she couldn't deny it anymore.

Every woman wanted romance. Every woman wanted love. But not every woman was as tough, as volatile, and as heartbreakingly gorgeous as Catherine Willows. She was always choosing men who seemed to only want her for her body, and rarely for her intellect. And many of them turned tail and ran when she revealed her profession. Law enforcement didn't sit well with most men, especially men with power and control complexes. She needed a man who didn't want to fight for the top, but instead was content with himself and his own choices. She wanted someone who had faced demons, as she had, and who could respect how she had overcome hers.

She took another sip of her wine as her cell phone began to vibrate on the table next to her. With a deep sigh she set her glass down and lifted up her phone.

"This is Catherine."

"Catherine, this is Scott Pruitt, your father's attorney."

Catherine felt a wave of shock pulse through her. "Yes, yes, hello." she replied, her mouth suddenly dry. It had been some time since Sam Braun's death, and his will was undergoing major controversy. Apparently, several of his money grubbing ex-wives were staking claim on his fortune, while Catherine could care less if she ever saw a single cent.

"We have finally come to an agreement in regards to your father's will." Scott said, his voice somewhat sympathetic. "According to the will, you are to receive 1.5 million of Sam's fortune."

Catherine nearly choked at the dollar amount. "Wow, um, well, you can keep it, I don't want any money from Sam."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Catherine, I urge you to take the money. If you don't, it will be allocated amongst all of Sam's ex wives, and I can tell you with sheer honesty that they don't deserve it."

Catherine considered this for a moment. "Is there any way you can just donate my share to charity or something?"

"Unfortunately, no." Scott replied, sounding impatient now. "Catherine, just accept the money and if you want to give it all away so be it, but it has to be you who accepts the money first."

"Alright, fine." Catherine gave in. She winced as she felt a headache coming on.

"I will have the money waiting for you at Sam's bank, so come by at your convenience to sign the paperwork."

Catherine muttered a goodbye and shut off her phone. She felt weary and angry and afraid all at once. She had barely known Sam, and yet he had always told her that he would do right by her. Now she really believed him.

I need another drink, she thought bitterly. She poured more wine into her glass and sat for a moment in silence, letting the effects of the wine calm her thoughts. Suddenly, she heard a key in the front door and heard it swing open. Turning in her seat, she watched as Lindsey stepped in.

"Hey honey." Catherine tried to smile as Lindsey walked towards her.

"Hi." The young girl muttered, her light blond hair up in a ponytail. Catherine marvelled at how beautiful her daughter was becoming, with her ivory skin and light blue eyes.

"Did you have fun at Kristen's house?"

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "Yes, loads. I think I'm just gonna go to sleep now."

Catherine reached out to hold her daughter's hand. "I just found out some important news."

When Lindsey raised an annoyed eyebrow and didn't say anything, Catherine figured it was her cue.

"According to Sam's final will, I am inheriting 1.5 million dollars."

Lindsey's mouth hung open in surprise for a few moments, her little mind racing with ideas of how to spend the cash. "Will you buy me a new car?"

Catherine snorted a laugh. "I figure part of it will go towards your college fund...and the rest I'm donating to charity."

"Mom!" Lindsey cried, disbelief shining on her face. "Why do you always have to be so stupid? Let's get a bunch of new stuff! I know you want new clothes."

"It's not about that Lindsey." Catherine retorted, feeling exhasperated by her daughter's ignorance. "It's very hard for me to accept any money from Sam. He just doesn't feel like a father to me."

"So what. Doesn't change the fact that we're millinonaires now."

Catherine couldn't help but laugh. "We are not millionaires. You are getting 50,000 towards a good college education, and I am giving the rest away. So get over it."

"I can't believe you." Lindsey muttered, clearly angry. "Don't talk to me ever again!"

Catherine felt the sudden urge to rip her hair out. "Fine."

"You're talking to me!" Lindsey yelled as she ran upstairs. Catherine winced as she heard the bedroom door slam.

Teenagers! Catherine thought angrily. Why had no one ever told her how terrible teens could be? Horrible, selfish little brat! Hastily she grabbed the wine bottle and chugged it, only to suddenly choke on the bitterness of it. God, what had she become? Dumping the rest of the bottle down the drain, she stormed up to her own bedroom.

Maybe tomorrow would be an easier day.

0 0 0

His eyes focused in on the microscope as his long fingers gently adjusted the lens. As the image of the strand of hair came into focus, he studied it, then compared it to another hair sample. Match.

Warrick Brown smirked to himself at the little victory. He'd never get over the thrill of solving a case. It created such an adrenaline rush, one that he previously had only received from gambling. But he was trying to put gambling behind him now, and solving cases was just as good. Even now that he had been demoted to lab tech, he still felt that the cases were his own, even if all he did was report the results back to his coworkers.

"Got a match?" Nick asked as he walked into the lab, a huge grin on his face.

"Yeah, I did." Warrick replied. "What are you all happy about?"

"You didn't see her?" Nick asked, looking concerned.

"See who?"

"The new tech!" Nick answered happily. "And man is she gorgeous!"

"Does this gorgeous tech have a name?" Warrick laughed.

"Not yet, but I'm about to find out." the grin on Nick's face grew wider as he seemed lost in thought.

"Hmm..." Warrick mused, watching his friend's apparent obsession with the new girl. "Why don't you go ask her out or something?"

"I'll get to it, don't worry." Nick replied confidently, tilting his chin up and smirking. "Just give me time."

Warrick snorted a laugh and returned to his work as his friend strutted out of the room. Nick was such a ladies man, it was amazing he ever got around to doing work at all. He had already flirted with every single girl who worked there, not to mention several women they met through cases. That guy just never stops! Warrick thought with a sigh. Then again, who was he to judge? He'd had his eye on Catherine for years now...

With a smile he pictured her beautiful eyes, and lips...and legs...shaking the thoughts from his head, he cleared his throat and tried to focus on work again. He'd never have her anyways. He didn't deserve someone like Catherine Willows.

It had been nearly two months since the shooting that almost claimed his life. Warrick rubbed his hand over the healing wound on his neck, wincing in remembrance of the pain. Since then he found he didn't trust anyone, especially not people he had originally thought could be trusted. Fortunately, Nick had been walking down the street that night and had heard the shots. If he hadn't, Warrick was certain he would have died that night.

The Undersheriff had been arrested the next day, after Warrick regained conciousness and was able to describe what had happened. And since then, he rarely walked around outside at night, and if he did, he kept his hand on the gun in his pocket.

Shaking away the memories, he began testing the DNA on a sample Grissom had brought him. He sorely wished he was out on the field again, but he had been demoted. He was lucky he had even been let back into the department at all. With a sigh, he began processing the sample and tried to shake all the negative thoughts from his troubled mind.

0 0 0

"We have a date." Sara said happily, smiling with sheer delight. Catherine's lips curved, but the smile barely reached her eyes.

"For the wedding? That's great." She replied, taking a sip from the coffee cup she held in her hand.

"Yeah, next month." Sara shifted her gaze to the carrier beside her that held Claire. The girl slept peacefully, her breathing soft and slow. "I'm going to need help finding a dress...I don't even know where to begin!"

"Honey, don't even worry." Catherine laughed, the sting of jealousy wearing off as the happy thought of marriage came over her. "We should start by getting some magazines. That's how I always decided what kind of dress I wanted. Then we'll go and try some on."

"It's just going to be a small ceremony...you know, I would love it if you would be my maid of honor."

Catherine choked on her coffee and stared at Sara, her mouth hung open in surprise. "Wow, Sara." she replied, wiping coffee from her chin. "I would love to."

With a smile, Sara reached out and held the other woman's hand, her demeanor suddenly serious. "You know, this means we have to shop for two dresses now."

"Then what are we waiting for!" Catherine laughed, feeling suddenly much more cheerful.

Later that night, Catherine stood in front of her closet mirror, the dress she and Sara had picked out for her pressed against her body. Modeling the dress, she tilted her chin and examined the shape of her body beneath the fabric. May be older than some, but definitely in better shape, she thought with a smile. She had always prided herself on self discipline and keeping fit and healthy. Nothing was better at soothing the mind then a strict routine to lose oneself in.

The dress itself was a soft, royal blue silk that hung just below her knees. The front was v-necked with thin straps that wrapped around to then form an open back to the dress that revealed what Catherine had long ago decided was one of her best assets. The sensuous curve of a woman's back was a great way to stop men dead in their tracks. Not that she had ever had much trouble doing that anyways.

Suddenly she felt foolish. Look at yourself, she thought pitifully. You're 45 years old, divorced, with a teenage daughter who insists on hating you. Catherine began to tear the dress off of her body, angered with herself for her fleeting moment of youthfullness. She was no longer young, and no longer allowed to think herself as such. It was time for a change, she realized with a sigh. Something had to change, and fast, or she was sure she would lose it forever.

0 0 0


	2. Desires

A few days later found Catherine stalking the halls at work, a huge caseload on her back. At the start of shift there'd been a homicide at one of the ritzy casinos on the strip, followed by a body found in a dumpster behind a sleazy night club. Oh, Vegas, Catherine thought bitterly through blurred vision as she felt a headache coming on. Always so predictably chaotic. What she wouldn't give for some goddamn wine...

As she turned a corner she nearly plowed into Warrick.

"Hey!" She gasped, surprised and slightly awkward as they smiled at each other.

"Hey back." He replied, his voice soft and his eyes darkening. His heart pounded in his chest at the very sight of her; the long, golden blonde hair...sultry blue eyes...

"I was just on my way to see Grissom." Catherine said, her eyes compulsively averting to the fading wound on his neck. The memory of the fateful night resounded within her, reminding her of the gripping fear at seeing a bleeding Warrick struggling for life as he waited for an ambulance. She would never, ever be able to get that image out of her head.

"I just came from there." He shifted closer to her, a moment of bravery coming over him. He'd seen the way she stared at his scar, knew how much pain he had caused her. "Are you doing alright, Cath?"

She all but laughed. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question? You're the one who nearly died...I just watched it happen."

The tension easing between them, Warrick reached out to run his hand through her hair. The simple intimacy of it had her shivering. He watched as her lips parted in soft surprise.

"We're friends, right?" He asked her, his hand now cupping the nape of her neck.

"Y-Yeah." She gulped, her knees weakening as she stared into his hazel eyes. "Last I checked."

"Good." Realizing the foolishness of his actions, he suddenly whipped his hand away, replacing her soft skin with his jeans pocket. The confused look in her eyes had him cursing himself. How could he tease both of them this way, when he knew that they could never be anything more than collegues and friends?

"I'll just be going." She said suddenly, feeling extremely vulnerable as she brushed past him and all but bolted down the hallway to Grissom's office.

Warrick took a deep breath and forced himself not to turn around and watch her run away from him. The fleeting image of her surprised face as he caressed her neck ran through his mind as he continued walking down the hallway back to his lab. He had seen not only surprise in her eyes, but desire as well. Where that had come from, he had no idea.

When the hell had they gotten to that point? she asked herself skittishly as she knocked politely on Grissom's door. All the years that she had longed for him to touch her that way...why now?

"Yes." Grissom said absently, his nose nearly touching the paperwork he was poring over. Catherine nearly smiled at the utter normalcy of the image: Grissom hard at work, surrounded by his bugs.

"Gil, I have the results you requested back from the nightclub case. Turns out the guy's wallet had very nice prints on it, matching a perp in the system. Daniel Hayes. Just released from prison up in Henderson two weeks ago."

Grissom glanced up now, eyeing her owlishly through his glasses. "You look flushed, Catherine, are you alright?"

With a half laugh, she ran a hand nervously through her hair. "Of course, just worn out is all. I'm going to leave these results on your desk so you can look them over in private...I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Goodnight, Catherine."

"Goodnight."

0 0 0

His apartment was anything but fancy or gloriously decorated. Instead, it had simple, masculine colors mixed with dark woods and straight lines, spotted occasionally with a photograph of his grandmother or a poker chip. His sofa, a rich and bold blue flanked a simple fireplace that had been the deal breaker for him when he'd decided on the place. There was something special about sitting in front of a warm fire with an aged bottle of wine. It made him feel much more sophisticated than he really was.

When he had been young, Warrick had convinced himself that he would be rich one day. That his luck would change, turn around and allow him to live a life free of concerns or worries. As it turned out, his childhood dreams of wealth had created a gambling addiction he was still fighting to control. It had seemed that the tiny black kid from the rundown streets of Vegas had no other way to make money besides gambling. And so he'd done just that.

First it had been working for bookies, carrying messages back and forth between customer and boss. Then he'd begun to run bets himself, finding his way into many minor brushes with the law. Even when his grandmother had scolded him about it, had cursed his gambling nature, he found he couldn't quit. It wasn't until she died years later that he decided to end his gambling once and for all.

Sure, every now and then he'd bet a little bit of money, but he convinced himself it was just for fun. No big deal if he blew off fifty bucks on the slots or at the blackjack tables. It was just for the thrill, and nothing else.

Even now, after all the strife he'd been through during his short thirty eight years on this planet, he still felt the inherent tug of addiction drag him down. The thrill of a gamble had always set him off, which was probably why he had made such a good CSI. It was a legal way for him to feel that same thrill. But he'd gone and thrown it all away over his own foolish mistakes.

Perhaps that was why he felt he'd finally learned his lesson after surviving his horrifying brush with the wrong end of a .38. It was wise in life to take some chances, but reform required a strict plan and the ability to stick with it. Which was why he had started going to church again. His grandmother had always cried over his not going. He felt he owed it to her, in a way.

He stood up and wandered over to his fridge, wincing at the lack of actual food it contained. First on the list tomorrow, go grocery shopping. He reached for a beer and stalked over to his sofa where he collapsed down and flipped on the television. One of his all time favorite movies was on, _Fletch_.

Laughing and gulping down a swig of beer, he felt his body finally relax after the days work. When his phone rang beside him, he was sorely tempted to ignore it. Figuring it could be important, he reached for it and answered.

_"You know, I have a confession to make."_ Catherine's voice on the other line had him sitting up and muting the television.

"What's that?" Warrick replied, hoping she wasn't hurt.

_"What happened today...it didn't bother me one bit." _The slightly slurred tone of her voice and the obvious hiccup as she started to laugh had a huge grin coming over Warrick's face.

"Well I'm glad that it didn't. Are you drunk Catherine?" With a quiet laugh he heard her clear her throat and attempt to sober herself.

_"Not at all! What gave you that impression?"_

"Oh, nothing."

_"Maybe you should come over and take a look for yourself. Then we can get drunk together."_

The sheer thought of Catherine sloshed was nearly funny enough, but Warrick was also concerned for her safety. Feeling the need to intervene, and possibly get a few laughs out of it, Warrick agreed to see her.

"Give me ten minutes."

0 0 0

When she answered the door, he had to forcibly stop himself from staring at her.

"You look nice." He said awkwardly as she laughed wholeheartedly.

"Come in, come in. See, I'm not _drunk_...just a little tipsy is all." She smiled as she bumped lightly into a table resting in the parlor of her house. With a grin, she sauntered off, inviting him to follow.

Since it was a hot summer night, she wore way too short red shorts, along with a way too thin black top. Comfortable for her, difficult for him.

Shutting the door behind him, he followed her into the kitchen, where she had a bottle of wine and two glasses waiting. She was busily pouring him a glass as he entered.

"I hope you like red."

With a blank stare he fought to register if she was referring to the wine or her revealing pajama shorts.

"Yeah." He replied, accepting the glass she held out for him. She lifted her own in a toast.

"To the crime of Las Vegas, which feeds our every waking moments."

"To crime." Warrick agreed, clinking his glass to hers and taking a long gulp of wine. She smiled hazily at him and watched the reserve in him begin to recede.

"I'm happy you're here...Lindsey's at a friend's house tonight. Seems that girl always wants to be as far away from me as possible." She said with a half laugh, half sob. "But now I'm not lonely."

"Now I'm not lonely, either." He replied. Against his better judgement, he downed the rest of the wine in his glass. "Put on some music, Catherine, I feel like dancing."

With an eyebrow raised, she smirked and glided off to the stereo. Seconds later, the Temptations sang out "My Girl." Warrick slid out of the kitchen and nearly bumped into Catherine again.

"Oldie but a goodie." She said proudly, smiling at him. "We gonna dance or what?"

His arms encircled her and brought her close to him as they began to sway to the song. The scent of her drove him wild...honeysuckle, or some flowery thing. His eyes found hers and held, deep hazel into sky blue.

"Warrick." She murmured as she leaned in closer to him, their lips barely touching. "So wrong, but so right." she said as she crushed her mouth onto his.

She felt her heart flip as they waged war on each other. She pressed her body against his frantically, the beat of his heart raging against her own. Her arms twisted around his neck, enveloping him as she nearly swallowed him whole.

"Cath..." He groaned as he pulled away to look into her eyes. He'd seen a hunger he'd never known before, and had felt it himself.

The dark need seemed to fade away from her eyes, and replaced was sheer embarrassment. "Oh, God, I've ruined everything." she admitted softly as she turned away from him, eyes averted.

"No, Cath, wait." He reached for her arm, only to have her whip it out of his grasp.

"I shouldn't have called you here tonight." She spat bitterly. "t's very unprofessional of me, and you are my co-worker, first and foremost."

"Oh, and I acted professional today at the lab?" Warrick countered, his own anger fueling the fire. "I nearly devoured you right then and there."

Distracted, she smiled. "You did?"

"God, yes." He laughed, rubbing his face with his hands. "I can never get you out of my head, but you've always been so elusive and polite to me. I felt that since I was getting sort of a second chance at life, that I'd finally pursue you...if you'd have me, at least."

"And all this time I just figured you thought me too old." She retreated to her sofa and sat down, watching as Warrick followed to sit beside her.

"Honestly," He began, taking her hand in his. "I think you are the hottest thing I've ever seen."

Her laugh was husky as she felt instantly better. "I think I'll have some more wine now."

They sat together for a moment, eyes fixated on each other, before she broke away and rose. "Would you like another?"

"Yes." He replied, watching as she stepped into the kitchen to get their glasses.

As she returned and sat beside him, he reached over to toast her once more. "To us, because we are brave enough to face our inhibitions."

She smiled at that as she downed the rest of her glass. "Well put."

0 0 0

Thanks for reading everyone! Sorry it took me so long to update...summer school calculus class along with crazy work schedule...no time! Stay tuned for more yobling lovely action...hehe.


	3. Apologies and Confessions

She was rising and falling in fluid motion, the world surrounding her spinning like a whirlwind. Around her she could see the pale blue of moonlight, saw with vivid clarity the way it played upon her glistening skin, glowing beautifully in the night. Her golden hair flowed freely down her back as she tilted back her head, her mind reeling with wild notions of riding through the clouds.

He all but sank into the clouds. The siren before him beckoned him further, rising over him with an elegant beauty he'd never before seen. His hands reached out to her, touched her golden hair as she vibrated before him, glowing gloriously blue in the moonlight. The song she sang sent welcome chills down his spine, running through him in waves and coursing down to his very core. When he felt her shudder over him, he felt himself fall after her.

0 0 0

There was a blinding, hot light burning his eyes. He struggled to open them, only to immediately regret it as his head began to throb with pain. Groaning, he rubbed his temple and tried to roll over, only to find a warm body next to his. She was draped over him with arms and legs, her head resting on his chest. Her long hair cascaded over him, layers of gold over rich caramel skin.

He felt the sharp stab of realization come over him as he looked at Catherine's peacefully asleep face. Good God, he thought wildly, clutching his head as his mind reeled with thoughts on what to do next. He felt her shift next to him, tug him gently closer to her. Then he watched as she slowly opened her eyes.

At first she smiled and placed soft kisses on his neck. Then she paused, registering where she was. Her eyes went wide with shock as she sat up so quickly the headache she had no idea she had nearly split her head open.

"Jesus!" She cried, clutching her head and wincing with pain as she laid back down. Her eyes began to water from the pain of it. When the throbbing subsided a bit, she wearily glanced at Warrick. "Hi..."

"Hey." He replied, now finding the situation slightly amusing. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit." she said dryly, groaning slightly as she stretched. Suddenly Warrick realized that they were both stark naked, and he nearly averted his eyes politely but then realized he'd seen it all the night before.

"Me too." He reached out to her to pull her against him, wanting to embrace this moment before they both realized what they had done. She snuggled against him again, closing her eyes. Breathing deeply, she ran her hands up his chest, enjoying the way he quivered at her touch.

"Well, it was bound to happen." She said suddenly after a few moments of silence. Opening her eyes, she glanced up at him. "Sex, I mean. We should have known better."

With a half laugh, he nodded in agreement. "I suppose so."

"I'll just fix us some food and then we can head to work."

"Shit, it's Friday isn't it?" He groaned, wanting to forget the long day of work ahead of them.

"Yeah, so you go shower or something and I'll cook us some eggs."

She stood up and slipped on a red silk robe that lay on an armchair by her bedroom door. Without even a second glance back, she left the room and padded downstairs.

He felt empty. Something inside him seemed to be lacking. He should be thrilled to have been with Catherine, even though he could only remember portions of the act itself. He had a sudden flashback of her rising over him, hair like gold outlined in blue moonlight. Shaking off the image because it was doing more than he wanted to his control, he climbed out of her four poster bed and headed towards the bathroom.

With the steaming water pouring over him, he tried to analyze his feelings. He couldn't help but feel the coldness in her as she merely brushed their act off like it was nothing. Well it goddamn meant something to him, he decided angrily. How could she act so nonchalant? As though it was just some petty thing to be forgotten. He'd had one night stands before, surely, but with Catherine everything was different. Sex between them could never be simple. There was simply too much pent up emotion between them, at least for him. With disgust at himself and with her, he shut off the water and loathfully fought the urge to punch the tile wall. He was acting like a foolish child, he realized angrily. So what if she wanted to treat the situation with adult reason. They were both grown professionals, who let themselves slip, but now things would go back to the way they always had been. Work would be the same, life would be the same. He nearly choked on the thought.

Downstairs Catherine was waging her own battle in her head. Waking up next to Warrick had seemed so natural, it frightened her. Since when had she found herself feeling _natural_ with any man? She was an independent woman who could enjoy a fun romp in the sack when and if she pleased. But God, she could rememeber glimpses of what it was like to run her hands over him, to feel him inside her. Slamming her frying pan down on the stove a little too hard, she had to bite back the tears that threatened to fall. Why did it have to be a colleague? She thought wearily. The one man she would have to risk her entire career for was the one person she felt _good_ with. Never before had she wanted so much to just lay in bed lazily and reminisce on the night before. Never had she actually felt natural wanting to play homemaker and cook for a man. Disgusted with herself and what was happening between them, she finished breakfast and sat down miserably to eat.

Warrick came down a few minutes later, smelling irresistably clean. He sat down across from her at her dining table and scooped up a bite of egg.

"Feeling better?" she asked politely, taking a generous sip of her coffee. When he simply smiled at her, she felt the warm chills race through her heart.

When she finished her breakfast, she placed her plate and his in the dishwasher and walked Warrick to the door.

"You head on to work, I'm going to shower and then I'll see you there." she instructed like a parent would to a child. "It won't look good for us to show up at the same time."

"Yeah, okay." He replied, a bitter taste forming in his mouth. "See ya, Cath."

With that he turned and stalked out to his car and drove off without a glance back to her. Angry with herself, she stormed upstairs to hide away in the steam of her shower.

0 0 0

By the time he got to work Warrick had conjured up a storm of apologies for Catherine, which he expected to deliver the second he saw her. Since he arrived before she did, he simply headed into the lab and began the day's work. When Nick approached him, all smiles, Warrick felt a bitter stab of jealousy.

"Let me guess, you asked out miss cute tech." Warrick asked bluntly, rolling his eyes.

"Well hello to you too." Nick replied happily as he crunched into a bright green apple. "As a matter of fact, I did ask out miss tech, and to satisfy your aching curiosity, she said yes."

"Wonderful for you." Warrick murmured as he turned back to his work. Nick noticed the irritation in his friend's voice and would have backed off if he'd cared less for the guy.

"Did something happen?" He asked, waiting for Warrick to turn around and face him. When he did, Nick saw that his friend's eyes were weary with stress and exhaustion.

"No, no, I'm fine." Warrick answered, hoping he sounded at least a little sincere. He saw in Nick's eyes that he was not being believed.

"No, I can tell when you're fine." Nick smirked. "But right now, you are definitely not fine. But if you don't want to tell me, then I'll just have to come back later and beat it out of you."

Warrick had to smile at that. "Beat it out of me, huh? I could take you down so fast you wouldn't know what hit you."

"We'll just have to see then. In the mean time, think of an explanation for me, and it better be the truth, 'cause I'm the human lie detector, and I know you better than anyone." With that Nick sauntered off down the hall.

Warrick felt at least a little better after seeing Nick, who always seemed to be in a good mood. He knew that if he told Nick that he wouldn't tell anyone, but Warrick could just see the whole situation becoming more real to him if he shared it. And if word of it ever got out, he would be fired for sure. He was already dangling on a thin thread with the department, one more slip up and he was gone.

It was one thing for someone in Nick's position to date some entry level tech in another department. It was completely different to date your superior in your own department. With Sara and Grissom, Warrick remembered the type of questioning they endured after their relationship came out in the open. Sara was moved to a completely different shift because of it. Warrick knew that Ecklie wouldn't favor him nearly as much as Sara was favored.

With a sigh, he turned around to reach for the DNA results that were sliding out of the printer. Glancing up, he saw Catherine walking by. Their eyes met and she smiled awkwardly, then turned and came into the lab.

"Hey." She said quietly, her hands clutching a stack of files so hard her knuckles were turning white.

"Hey back." He replied with a half laugh. She looked amazing, as though she was under no stress whatsoever. That woman's resiliance was absolutely amazing.

"Are you feeling better? I know I am." She said with a smile, knowing the conversation sounded completely forced. "Listen I-"

"No, Cath, you don't have to explain anything." Warrick interrupted suddenly. Catherine's face fell as she prepared herself for his words of rejection. "I want to apologize to you..."

Catherine winced at his remark and forced herself to stand tall. "Likewise, then."

Warrick saw the mask of control falter on her face, and felt his own crashing down.

"Hey Catherine, I need you on this murder/suicide case downtown." Grissom leaned in through the doorway and motioned for her to follow him.

"Alright." She replied. Grissom simply arched an eyebrow as he peered all-knowingly at the two of them. With that, he left them alone once more.

"I've got to go." She said mildly, finding it hard to look Warrick in the eye. "I'll catch ya later, okay?"

"Sure." Warrick watched as she raced out of the lab and down the hallway. His heart felt as though it were lodged in his throat.

No, their one night stand would never and could never be simple.

0 0 0

Two weeks seemed to fly by as Catherine intensified her daily routine, hoping to drive away any and all thoughts of one Warrick Brown. She jogged five miles every afternoon before work, then stretched and did yoga for an hour to relax her mind. At work she stayed as far away from the lab as she could by spending long hours out on the field, hoping to avoid any further awkward confrontations.

After a time, she hoped that they could move past their "experience" and become friends again. But she figured that if it didn't happen, then it was an important lesson for them both.

Today found her clothes shopping with Sara at one of the giant department stores her companion seemed to be obsessed with. Sara dragged Catherine through all of the baby clothes, searching for the perfect outfit for Claire for the wedding.

"I want her to look beautiful too, since I guess technically we are both getting married." Sara grinned, glancing down fondly at the young girl fast asleep in her stroller.

Catherine marvelled at the sheer glow that had come over Sara lately. Motherhood and soon to be marriage agreed with her. She didn't think she had ever seen Sara so happy.

"What about this?" Catherine suggested, holding up a tiny snow white gown with layered skirts and a beautifully laced collar.

Sara was quiet for a moment as she stared at the dress. Suddenly tears began to stream out of her eyes.

"Sara?" Alarmed, Catherine grabbed her friend's arm and shook her.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Sara assured her with a sobbing laugh as she wiped away her tears. "I feel foolish. It's just that I'm so happy, with everything; and that dress, it's just so perfect for Claire."

Catherine couldn't help but smile. "Honey..." she said soothingly as she hugged the woman who she had become so close to lately. "You have every right to be happy, and if that means that you're going to cry all day then you go ahead and do it."

Sara laughed as she pulled away from Catherine. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

Later, as they were having lunch down at one of the restaurants inside the mall, Sara began explaining her floral concept for the wedding, which was only a week away.

"So we decided upon yellow roses with baby's breath for all the garlands and table centerpieces. And I'm thinking of putting a yellow rose in my hair as well, just to tie everything together."

Catherine nodded but found it hard to concentrate. Her mind kept going to Warrick, and if he would wear a yellow rose in his suit jacket at the wedding.

"Catherine?"

Catherine snapped out of her reverie and looked expectantly at Sara. "I'm sorry, you were talking about yellow roses..."

"Are you alright?" Sara asked, taking Catherine's hand in hers. The easy intimacy was new for both of them, but Catherine wouldn't have it any other way.

"Yes...well, no." She replied skittishly, knowing that she couldn't lie anymore. It was tearing her apart, and she could really use another woman's advice.

"What is it? You've seemed out of sorts for a couple weeks."

"Warrick and I slept together." Catherine blurted out, covering her face in her hands immediately afterward.

Sara's mouth opened in shock as she simply stared at Catherine, registering what the other woman had just confessed to. Then she felt the familiar tickle in her throat as she burst out laughing.

Catherine gaped at Sara as she wholeheartedly laughed, her body shaking with it and her eyes tearing up. "Oh, I see this is funny to you."

"I'm sorry," Sara apologized, still laughing. "Well," she began between laughs, finally controlling herself.

"What is it?" Catherine asked, unnerved by the look Sara was giving her.

"It's about goddamn time." Sara said with a smirk. Then she eyed Catherine with a suddenly very keen interest. "So...how was it?"

"Oh, Jesus." Catherine laughed, covering her face again in embarrassment. "We were really drunk, I barely rememeber it."

"Ah, a drunken one night stand with a man who you've been fantasizing about for years." Sara leaned back in her chair and smiled. "I can't believe you are so upset about this. How is it a bad thing?"

"It's a horrible thing!" Catherine cried, causing people around them to glance over at her nervously. Lowering her voice, she pleaded with Sara. "You can't tell anyone about this...Warrick and I both could get fired for this. I mean, look at what happened to you and Gil."

"Yes, look at what happened to us." Sara said proudly, wiggling the gorgeous ring on her finger. "Give it a shot, Catherine, I know you're crazy about him. Don't let this be a bad thing, embrace it!"

"That's easy for you to say." Catherine muttered, folding her arms and leaning back as well. "You're past that point already."

"But I remember how it felt to be there." Sara replied, now sympathetic. "You're nervous about your feelings and his, you're awkward because you work with him, and you're thinking you're insane for letting it happen in the first place, but you can't think of anything you'd rather have more."

Catherine grinned. "That about sums it up."

"See." Sara glanced down to check on Claire when she heard the girl utter a soft cry. Smiling, she reverted her attention back to her friend. "So what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." She sighed heavily, the grand weight of decision upon her. "I have no idea what he feels."

"Then you better find out soon." Sara suggested. "Before it's too late."

0 0 0


	4. Wedding Day

The late afternoon heat was nearly unbearable as the sun slowly made its decline into the west. Despite the temperature, Catherine found herself looking at the entire world. From the balcony of the Terrazza Di Sogno at the overwhelmingly beautiful Bellagio hotel, she could see a very ingenious copy of the Eiffel Tower, along with grand palaces and a glorious lake with water as crystal clear as the caribbean. Never before had she seen such a beautiful location for a wedding, especially in Vegas.

She had to hand it to Gil. He was really going all out on this one, and she knew it was all because of Sara. Gil probably would have preferred a simple paperwork signing at city hall, but no. Even he knew that every woman had a right to a glorious wedding day.

The ceremony itself was only about 30 people, but the reception down in one of the hotel's grand ballrooms was going to be one of the biggest parties she had ever been to. Not to mention the grandest, with an eight course meal and elegant ballroom dancing. Hopefully the damn heat would subside, since the ceremony was to be outside on the Terrazza.

Catherine glanced around as the floral arrangements and chairs were being set up. The wedding was only a couple hours away, and already she was nervous as a cat. It wasn't even her wedding! she thought indignantly. Lord knows she wasn't nearly as nervous at her own wedding years ago. Maybe it was the fact that she would be standing across from Warrick, who was to be the best man, as their two friends joined lives. The knot in her stomach twisted at the thought.

Since her conversation with Sara, Catherine had tried to approach Warrick, but it seemed like she kept getting tongue tied or interrupted. Or he would be busy. Or she would be sent out on the field and not get back until he was already gone. She had considered calling him, but the thought of hearing him _apologize _to her again was just too much to bear. Her pride was hurt enough that she was even _in _this situation.

Unable to take the heat any longer, she decided to go in and check on Sara. Pushing her way past hotel employees carrying boxes of flowers, she headed towards the bridal suite. She knocked politely on the door before stepping inside. What she saw had her stopping dead in her tracks.

"Oh, Sara." Was all she could manage.

The other woman smiled sheepishly as she turned in a circle, showing off her dress. Even though Catherine had helped her pick it out, it didn't make it any less remarkable. It was ruthlessly long and made of fine silk that shimmered as Sara moved. The fabric was fitted at the waist and came up to form a strapless top with a sloping back. Delicate lace trimmed the dress down to the middle of the skirt, where it softly dropped off to reveal the glory of the silk beneath.

Sara's hair was up with delicate strands draping around her face. A soft, pale yellow rose surrounded by baby's breath and white pearls adorned the left side of her updo. Around her neck was a soft blue pearl, held by a delicate silver chain.

"What do you think?" Sara asked, glancing back at herself in the mirror as the seamstress fussed with the skirt. "The necklace is my mother's."

"It's beautiful, and so are you." Catherine replied, unashamedly feeling tears form in her eyes. "The most beautiful bride I've ever seen."

Sara smiled broadly, biting her lip as she studied herself once more. "I barely recognize myself. It's like I'm looking at a princess in a fairytale or something."

"Good, that's how you're supposed to feel on your wedding day." The seamstress interrupted, earning a hearty laugh from Catherine.

"She's right, she's definitely right." Catherine tugged at the hem of her own dress, feeling somehow normal compared to the glowing bride.

"Now, I want you to promise me something Catherine." Sara said suddenly, breaking away from the seamstress and placing her hands on Catherine's shoulders.

"Okay?"

"When I throw the bouquet, it has to be you who catches it." Sara said with a smirk. "This time next year, if not sooner, I want to be at your wedding, watching you marry Warrick."

"Oh, well." Catherine laughed, embarrassed. "You make everything sound so easy."

"A promise is a promise, Catherine, just catch the damn bouquet and let me have my romantic fantasy of seeing my best friend happily married once and for all." Sara hugged the other woman close, only to receive flack from the seamstress, who pulled the bride away to fuss with the skirt again.

"Fine, I promise. Now finish up so you can get hitched already!"

0 0 0

A few rooms down, a different scene was taking place.

"So are you, like, nervous, or anything?" Warrick asked Grissom anxiously as he paced the groom's suite. Nick stood in the corner, arms crossed, forcing himself not to laugh.

Grissom was busy standing in front of the mirror, straightening his tie. "Not really, should I be?"

"Good God, I'm nervous as hell." Warrick admitted, wiping sweat from his forehead. "It's not even my goddamn wedding!"

"If you have stage fright, Nick can replace you." Grissom concluded, cursing himself as the tie came undone again. He was terrible at ties.

"You're saying that you'd replace me with this guy?" Warrick cried indignantly, pointing a finger at Nick who merely shrugged.

"If you were too ill to perform your duties, yes." Grissom sighed, on the verge of giving up. "Help me with this tie, will you?"

Warrick fixed the tie in record time and set about pacing again. With a knowing look at Nick, Grissom decided it was time to jump the gun. "We all know that something is going on between you and Catherine."

Warrick stopped dead in his tracks. Debating whether to just jump out the window and get it over with now or to maintain his cool, he glanced nervously at his boss.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, for starters," Nick began as he approached his friend. "We've been noticing the longing looks you send her way, and the way you two have been suddenly awkward around eachother. We've all worked together for many years now, so I know how you two normally act. Something happened a couple weeks ago that changed everything."

Warrick felt the sudden need to sit down. Planting himself softly on the bed, he buried his face in his hands. "I'll get fired for sure." he murmured softly.

Grissom smiled at Nick and patted Warrick gently on the back. "I promise to look the other way."

"You do?" Warrick glanced up, his eyes searching those of the man he considered to be both like a brother and a father to him.

"Of course. You're lucky today is my wedding day. I'm in an especially good mood." With that, Grissom considered the situation taken care of and walked over to find his shoes. Those he figured he could handle on his own.

While Grissom was busy shuffling around in his suitcase, Nick took a seat next to Warrick. "Why didn't you just tell me earlier, man?" he asked, slightly hurt that he had been left out of the loop.

"A part of me didn't want it to be real." Warrick admitted, looking into his friend's trusting eyes.

"What part of sleeping with Catherine would you _not_ want to be real?" Nick laughed, slapping his friend on the back. "That's okay, I forgive you. Now let's get this wedding started!"

0 0 0

Catherine felt her nerves diminish the second she emerged from inside the hotel out onto the beautiful Terrazza Di Sogno patio. The evening sky glittered with emerging stars as the color began to fade to deep blue. Yellow roses were everywhere, adorned with baby's breath and flowing satin lace. She lead the way down the deep blue runner towards the altar, the other bridesmaids behind her. Warrick walked beside her, but she pretended not to notice nor feel him as his jacket slightly grazed her arm. At the end of the walkway they split off, her to the left and him to the right, to take their places beside the minister.

All he could think about was how beautiful she looked. He hadn't believed his eyes when he had seen her walk up to stand beside him, waiting to emerge out onto the patio. The deep blue of her gown shimmered over her glorious skin, and she let her golden hair flow freely down her back. He was sorely disappointed that she had barely glanced his way. Had he really pushed her that far away from him?

Warrick smiled as Gil stood beside him, his hands clutched tightly behind his back. The man was nervous, Warrick thought with a smile. He supposed when you were about to commit yourself to the love of your life, you were supposed to be anxious, but in a good way. He'd never felt that with his marriage to Tina, which had been so simple and short that he barely remembered it now. It seemed like years and years ago...

Nick stood proudly next to him, along with Greg, who looked somewhat torn. Warrick smiled as he saw Doc Robbins sitting in the front row with his wife, and next to him sat David and his own wife, who was roundly pregnant and beaming. Amidst the crowd he noticed all of the techs from the lab, including the new one Nick was so obsessed with. He noticed Nick give the cute blonde a wink and had to bite back a smile as she blew a kiss back. Shaking his head, he figured he was on the verge of losing his mind.

The music kicked up suddenly, and everyone sitting down turned their heads to watch the bride come down the walkway. When Sara came into view, smiling gloriously and carrying Claire in her arms, Warrick watched a tear fall down Grissom's cheek.

So this was true love, he thought wildly, watching Sara's face as she walked, lead by a beaming Jim Brass. Grissom's eyes never left her's, even as Jim lifted the tiny veil she wore to fully reveal her face. Grissom took her hand in his and lead her towards the altar.

As the minister began to marry them, Catherine stole a glance at Warrick. She noted the yellow rose on his suit jacket and fought back a smile. When his eyes shifted and met hers, she felt her heart flip. He looked so tall, dark and handsome all cleaned up, almost like a prince. But no, a renegade like Warrick would never be a prince. He would always be a dark knight, fighting for his own causes and slaying his own dragons. Catherine rather liked that idea. But then the look in his eyes had all thoughts disappearing from her mind. God, that man had an intense way about him...

He thought she looked like a goddess. Or a siren, maybe. In any case, she was stunning. His eyes held hers and the world seemed to hold still around them. He could barely hear the minister's voice, barely noticed when Grissom and Sara embraced for their first kiss as husband and wife, with tiny Claire between them. All he could see was Catherine. All he wanted was her.

As Grissom lead Sara and Claire down the walkway and the crowd began to throw silver and white confetti, Catherine followed dutifully with Warrick. Side by side, they walked behind the newlyweds as confetti rained down upon them.

It seemed like a dream: glittering snow fell around her, covering her and everyone else as the crowd cheered and the music blared. The faces in the crowd seemed to blend together; the cheers and shouts of congratulations coming from all sides.

By the time they reached the doors leading back into the hotel, Catherine was covered in glittering confetti and wondering when the ringing in her ears would stop. Warrick still walked beside her as they continued towards the upstairs lobby. Once there, everyone congratulated the newlyweds and shuffled off to their own rooms to get ready for the reception which was an hour away.

Grissom was holding Claire now, as Sara was hugged and envied. Catherine approached him, Warrick still with her, and marveled at how the happiness shone on her old friend's face.

"I'm so happy for you, Gris." Catherine remarked, placing a hand on his cheek. "How does it feel marrying two women?"

With a laugh, Grissom glanced down fondly at his new daughter. "It feels wonderful."

"Just don't give up your manhood." Warrick said with a grin. "I don't want to catch you wearing pink or playing tea party anytime soon."

"I think it comes with the job." Grissom replied smugly, secretely looking forward to every minute of it.

Catherine smiled, reminiscing on those days with her own daughter. With a sigh, she excused herself and ran off to her hotel room to freshen up. Once there, she found herself standing in front of the bathroom mirror, waging war inside herself.

This was Grissom and Sara's day, she reasoned, knowing it was wrong of her to feel so self centered at her best friend's wedding. This was not the time to be worried over what was going to happen with Warrick. Right now all focus was to be given to the bride and groom, and if she wanted to rant and rave over Warrick tomorrow then so be it. Then she remembered the hurt look in Warrick's eyes when she had brushed him off before the ceremony. With a sob she slammed her fist down upon the bathroom counter, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Goddamnit!" She cried pitifully, wiping furiously at her tears. She felt the sudden, primal urge to throw something. Anything to take her mind off of this infuriating emotional confusion she felt over her long time friend and co-worker.

Biting her lip so hard she thought it would bleed, she suddenly realized she was doing exactly what she'd decided she wasn't going to do. Ranting over her situation was only going to ruin this great day for everyone else, namely Sara and Grissom. And Catherine couldn't live with herself if she ruined this for them.

Taking deep, calming breaths, she rinsed off her face and began to reapply fresh makeup. Feeling in control of herself after a few minutes of mindless activity, she took a good look at herself once more in the mirror. She looked tired, but she looked calm. Forcing a smile on her face, she pushed her emotions back inside herself, refusing to let them show on her face. Today was not the day, she thought bitterly. Tomorrow, maybe, but today was not the day for this.

0 0 0

Warrick sat in his own hotel room that he was sharing with Nick, feeling miserable with himself. Nick was busy putting more gel into his hair and combing it furiously to get it perfect. With a sigh, Warrick stood up and leaned against the doorway to the bathroom, watching Nick fight with his hair.

Warrick stared Nick in the eye in the mirror. "You know, real men don't worry about what their hair looks like."

"Will you just shut up, this is important business here." Nick countered, spraying more gel into the palm of his hand.

"You're ridiculous." Warrick laughed, feeling slightly better. "Should I dance with Catherine?"

Nick stopped mid-comb and stared at Warrick, his eyebrows raised incredulously. "You're kidding me, right?"

"No, I'm being serious."

Nick grinned and continued to work at his hair. "I think that if you don't dance with her, Sara will kick your ass."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Warrick cried, suddenly concerned. "She's in on this too?"

"Oh, she's orchestrating the whole goddamn thing." Nick put down the comb and marvelled at his hair. "How do I look?"

"Like an idiot. Whole the fuck else knows about this?"

"Calm down, only a few people know." Turning to face Warrick, Nick placed his hands companionably on his friend's shoulders. "And we're all rooting for you two."

"Yeah?" Warrick replied, his hands coming up to grip Nick's wrists. "You know, I've met a lot of women in my day, and had my fair share of them too...there's just something about Catherine that I've always been drawn too. I just never felt that I deserved her."

"She is a real piece of work." Nick laughed, releasing himself and patting Warrick on the back. "Now let's go dance with some cute ladies."

0 0 0

The reception hall was a glorious array of royal blue tablecloths, candlelit centerpieces flanked with mountains of yellow roses, and a dance floor nearly as big as a house. By the time Catherine wandered solo down to join the party, nearly everyone was seated and waiting eagerly to be served course number one.

Remembering that she was reserved for table number one next to Sara, Catherine made her way through the enormous crowd of tables and chattering guests. She spotted Sara and sat down beside her, forcing a smile on her face. Next to Catherine sat Nick, and across from her, seated beside Grissom, was Warrick.

Trying hard not to notice the way Warrick was staring at her, Catherine chatted with Sara about how lovely the reception hall turned out.

"I wanted it to be grand, you know? Like a palace or something." Sara remarked, earning an affectionate kiss from Grissom.

"Well everything looks wonderful." Catherine said happily, gazing around her at the dozens of tables lit up beautifully with candelight. Above them hung five enormous shimmering chandeliers, glittering like diamonds against a midnight blue ceiling.

When the first course was delivered, Catherine glanced down nervously at the single honey glazed scallop that lay on her plate, garnished with what looked like poppy seeds and carrot swirls. Unsure of how to approach eating it, she glanced up and caught Warrick looking just as confused. Their eyes met and they exchanged a humorous smile. Glancing over at Sara, she saw that the other woman was cutting delicately into the scallop with a small knife, her fork holding the tiny thing in place. Mustering up the courage, Catherine tried to mimick Sara's actions.

Suddenly, Warrick's scallop shot across the table and landed next to Catherine's plate. She looked at him incredulously and broke out laughing when she saw his startled and embarrassed look.

Sara joined in on the laughter as well as Grissom eyed Warrick with raised eyebrows. Nick merely shook his head and forked up the scallop, placing it gingerly back on Warrick's plate. With a sigh, he began to cut up the scallop, all the while Warrick glanced around, hoping no one was watching.

After a couple more courses and a few glasses of the finest wine Catherine had ever tasted, she finally began to feel at home again. These people were the best people she knew, and if she didn't feel like herself around them then she had no idea who she really was.

After the final course, a lovely scoop of lavender ice cream served in a tiny silver bowl and drizzled with some sort of pale green mint syrup, the DJ came out and encouraged the bride and groom out onto the dancefloor for the first dance. "Unchained Melody" poured elegantly out of the speakers and Catherine felt her insides simply melt. How utterly romantic, she thought with a heavy sigh.

Grissom stood up and lead Sara out onto the dance floor as all eyes watched, heavy with envy, as he twirled her and brought her close. Catherine could now fully see Sara's second dress of the night, since the wedding gown was too cumbersome for dancing. This new dress was made of silvery silk and hung just below her knees, the skirt flaring out softly at the ends. It hugged her waist and rose up in a halter, covered in tiny beads that glittered in the light of the chandeliers. Her hair now flowed free of the clasp she had worn before, and Grissom's hand came up to take it's fill of the rich brown length of it as he kissed her softly.

As the song approached it's end, "Moondance" belted out of the speakers, it's smooth jazzy rhythm complemented beautifully by Van Morrison's unmistakable voice. Warrick stood up and held out his hand to Catherine. She glanced up at his eyes, and he didn't even have to say a word to get his intent across. He wanted her, and only her.

Rising up, she let him lead her out to the dance floor. She saw Sara look over and smile encouragingly as Warrick reached for Catherine's hand and began to dance with her. Simply drugged by the romantic mood and the wine swirling in her head, Catherine glanced up at Warrick and smiled warmly.

"I've missed being close to you." She said softly, almost in a whisper. In response he leaned in and kissed her gently, his arms winding around her to pull her close to him. For what seemed like forever they stood there, no longer dancing, simply filling the void that seemed to have come between them.

As their two friends publicly fulfilled everyone's hopes for them, Sara turned to Grissom and sighed happily, a huge smile on her face.

"I told Catherine that she better catch the bouquet later." Sara remarked, kissing her new husband softly on his nose, just because she could.

With a smile, Grissom nuzzled against her, his fingers twining with hers as they continued to sway. "I told Warrick I'd look the other way. This is going to be good for both of them."

"Yes, just like it was good for us." Sara held Grissom close, and let weeks of happy tears fall.

0 0 0


	5. Aftermath of a Storm

The men sat around at one of the tables in the reception hall, watching as their women scrambled for the ideal bouquet-catching spot.

All of the lights had been turned down to allow for one spotlight which would follow the bouquet as it flew through the air. Currently, the light was focused on Sara, who stood watching the mob-like crowd behind her. She shot a bewildered glance to Grissom, who simply shrugged.

Warrick sat beside Nick, who was already placing bets on Annette to get the bouquet. Unable to resist a bet, Warrick placed one for a hundred bucks on Catherine.

"Okay, but you're gonna lose." Nick commented as he wrote down the bets on a scorecard.

"I don't know man, Cath's pretty determined." Warrick laughed and watched as Catherine shoved another woman aside as she fought for her spot in the middle of the crowd.

Sara clutched her yellow rose bouquet tightly in her hands as she turned her back on the crowd. With a last glance back at the girls and a quick wink to Catherine, Sara tossed the bouquet over her head. The spotlight followed it's path as it flew high into the air. Warrick saw it land somewhere in the middle of the crowd and then get lost amongst the now screaming women.

For several moments the crowd of crazed women swarmed over the bouquet, and then finally one emerged, bouquet held high in victory.

Catherine clutched the bouquet tightly in her hand. Her hair was tossed and she was missing a shoe, but she was victorious. Sara cheered loudly and hugged Catherine, then broke away and clapped with the rest of the crowd.

"Now it's official," Sara said happily as she picked a rose out of the bouquet and tucked it into Catherine's hair. "You're next."

"God, I hope so. This has gotta be worth something." Catherine whispered, hugging her friend once more before heading over to receive a victory kiss from Warrick.

"I'm taking you out for steak and lobster." Warrick grinned as she wrapped her arms around him. "I just won two hundred bucks thanks to you."

"Never could resist a gamble, could you?" Catherine replied as she kissed him solidly on the mouth.

"Never." He agreed, deepening the kiss and filling his hands with her. When she pulled away, a softly humorous smile on her lips, he felt his heart stop.

"I have a confession to make...again." Slightly embarrassed, she watched his eyes go dark and his lips curve.

"Last time you said that to me we ended up drunk and in bed."

"Yeah, well, this is about that actually." Catherine grabbed his hand and lead him out onto the dancefloor, where a song had begun to play. She noticed Sara and Grissom wrapped around each other, turning slowly to the soft beat. Alongside them danced Nick and his girl Annette, who was gazing at him with puppy eyes.

"I don't think I've ever danced this much in my life." Warrick admitted as he twirled Catherine and scooped her back into his arms.

"Neither have I, but that's not my confession." She rested her head against his shoulder, smiling when she felt him lean into her. "I told Sara that we slept together."

"It's okay, Grissom and Nick figured it out on their own."

"Grissom knows?" Catherine cried, clutching Warrick's hand so tight he winced.

"You're telling me you honestly thought he didn't?" Warrick countered, eyebrows raised. "First off, you know Sara told him. Secondly, he can read you and I like a book."

"Oh, well." Catherine sighed, biting her lip nervously. "Then what did he say?"

"He said he is more than happy to look the other way."

Letting out a breath of relief, she let herself be twirled and dipped. "So then are we like, an item now?"

"You could say that." Warrick lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. "But maybe we should hold off on any titles until I take you out for an official date."

"How classy of you." She smirked, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. "I always knew there was a gentleman stuck inside that rough and tumble exterior."

0 0 0

When the reception came to an end, Catherine felt oddly alive. Despite the long hours she had spent dancing, talking, chasing bouquets...she didn't feel all that tired. Instead, she felt exhilerated.

Maybe Sara was right. Maybe she was next, and maybe Warrick was the man she had been looking for all this time. He was extremely intelligent, down to earth, and content with his triumphs and his mistakes. What more could she ask for in a man?

And to top it all off, he accepted her for who she was. He already knew all of her secrets since they had been close friends for so long, and she knew all of his. There was nothing to come between them, at least nothing from their past. And they would just have to see how their futures entwined together.

As all of the guests began to head off to their rooms to go to sleep, Catherine found that sleeping was the last thing she wanted to do.

"I think we should go have a few drinks, whaddya say?" She purred to Warrick as they sat together at one of the empty reception tables. He turned to her a laughed.

"Okay party girl, I'll get you some alcohol."

Giving him a well deserved punch in the shoulder, Catherine stood up and began to lead him off to the bar. Spotting Nick and Greg, she motioned them over for drinks as well.

As they all sat down at one of the bar tables, Catherine glanced around her and sighed.

"I never thought I'd see Grissom get married, but I have to say I'm extremely happy about all of this." She smiled cheerfully as she ordered a dirty martini with extra olives.

"Yeah me neither, but Sara seems to really make him happy." Nick replied, chomping into a handful of bar nuts.

"I knew about them long before any of you figured it out." Greg smirked, ordering a Newcastle.

Warrick rolled his eyes and playfully punched Greg in the arm. "Yeah right, you were just as surprised as all of us."

"That's what you may think, but believe me, I saw the signs long ago."

"Whatever." Catherine took a deep sip from her martini and thanked the bartender happily. "What matters now is that they are married and happy. And I'm still single and divorced."

Warrick choked on his beer and stared at her with raised eyebrows. "Oh, I see how it is! All that love talk on the dancefloor means nothing once we're in front of colleagues, huh?"

Flushed, Catherine retreated to take another sip of her martini. "I was still hoping we could keep this quiet."

"Who cares? You guys have been in this wild flirting game for years, it was about goddamn time you made it official!" Nick countered with a hearty slap on Warrick's back.

Wincing, Warrick took another gulp of his beer and then sighed. "These are good times, ya know?"

"That they are my friend, that they are." Nick agreed with a broad smile.

"I'm serious though." He replied, looking around at his friends with sober eyes. "I was so close to never experiencing this night, or any nights for that matter."

"Don't talk like that." Catherine insisted, rubbing his back. "That day was not your day to go, so enjoy this and stop moping!"

"I'm not moping." Warrick grinned before reaching over and tilting Catherine's chin towards him and giving her a deep kiss. When Nick and Greg made cheering noises, Catherine flushed bright red.

"Okay, okay..." She said, feeling her face with her hands. "Look what you do to me! I'm a flustered mess."

"It's probably that martini too." Greg put in, earning a warning look from Catherine.

"I think it's past my bedtime." She smiled apologetically as she stood up from the table and downed what was left of her martini.

Nick and Greg glanced knowingly at each other as they watched Catherine lay a hand on Warrick's arm.

"I guess it's my bedtime too." Warrick laughed as he stood up and finished his beer. "See ya'll tomorrow morning for brunch."

They didn't say a word to each other as they left the hotel bar, strolled urgently through the lobby, and stood in front of the painfully slow elevator. Once inside the safely closed doors of the elevator, they turned to each other.

The dangerous look in her eyes had him aching, and the sight of his slow grin destroyed any control she'd mustered up that day.

"What are you waiting for?" Catherine asked huskily, gasping as he pushed her against the wall of the elevator and lifted her legs to wrap around him. She shuddered as his lips found her neck and his hands dug into her hips, holding her before him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she crushed her mouth onto his.

He glanced over at the numbers as they rose three floors, then four, then five. Seeing as they were on the sixth floor, he pulled away from her and refrained from taking her then and there.

"What room is yours?" He asked softly, his breath coming in gasps as he tried to regain some control.

"603." She replied breathlessly, taking his hand in hers as the doors opened. They all but ran to the room and she nearly screamed as she fought with the door key. Once opened and inside, she slammed the door and dragged him to the floor.

"Not enough time to make it to the bed." She gasped, pulling off his shirt, straining to feel the skin beneath. He tore at her dress, pulling it up over her head. His hands found her breasts as he fumbled to remove her bra.

Tearing at his slacks, she pulled them off of his long legs and rose over him. When she took him inside her, she heard herself cry out. Now, was all she could think, right here, right now.

He watched his siren rise over him again, heard her languid cries and felt her smooth skin run over his in waves. He saw with fascination as her hair tumbled down her back, and felt himself reach for the golden length of it as she lowered her head to crush her lips upon his.

When she came over him with a glorious, strangled cry, he buried his face in her hair and fell after her.

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Breathless, she felt herself fall slowly to the floor beside Warrick, whose chest was rising and falling like a runner after a race. Stretching lazily like a cat, she laid beside him and draped one of her arms over his chest.

"That was nice." She said softly, smiling broadly and closing her eyes. Warrick snorted and stared at her incredulously.

"Just nice?" He asked, so tired he felt motionless. "I would have to say it was incredible."

"That too." She laughed, glancing up at him. He looked so cute when he was worn out. "Am I too much to handle for you?"

"Oh, I can handle you girl, you just took my breath away for a moment." He shifted so they lay face to face on the plush carpet floor. "You know, we're pretty sweaty. Maybe we should take a shower."

"You're on."

0 0 0

The next morning was champagne brunch at the hotel. Sara looked radiant as she sat at the head of the table beside Grissom, a highchair beside them holding Claire.

Catherine's body felt heavy and slow, but her mood was very bright. Warrick Brown was good for her, she decided as she took a seat beside him and shot him a sly grin. And he had wonderful hands...

Warrick glanced over and saw Nick giving him a knowing look, which he responded with by wrapping an arm around Catherine's shoulders.

After the brunch, Catherine headed home, promising Warrick that they'd get together later that evening. As she pulled up into her driveway, she started to feel the first dregs of exhaustion.

Grabbing her suitcase from the backseat, she stumbled inside and upstairs. Spotting Lindsey's door open, she poked her head inside.

"Hey honey, how was your night?"

Lindsey didn't even glance away from her computer screen. "Fine."

"That's good...aren't you gonna ask how the wedding went?"

Rolling her eyes, Lindsey glared at her mother. "I don't really care."

"Oh, well." Catherine sighed and decided to just go to bed. The spoiled brat could care less about life outside of her computer. "I'm going to take a nap, wake me up if you need me."

"Uh huh." Lindsey replied, her eyes already glued to the screen again.

Resigned, Catherine pulled her suitcase into her bedroom and shut the door. Falling unceremoniously onto her bed, she fell instantly asleep.

By the time she woke up it was already 7 oclock. Angry with herself for sleeping so long, Catherine hopped into the shower. Suddenly remembering that Warrick was coming over, she hurriedly finished getting ready and sauntered downstairs to make some dinner.

As she walked into the kitchen she noticed the trashcan overflowing with pizza boxes and shopping bags. Annoyed, she packaged it all away into two manageable bags and carted them outside to the trash. When she reached the trash can she lifted the lid and stuffed both bags in, making sure to shove them down so the lid would close. Once finished, she began to walk back inside when she heard footsteps behind her.

Whipping around, Catherine spotted a woman approaching her from the street.

"Hello, Catherine." The woman called out, her bombshell blonde hair in curls around her heart shaped face. Catherine pegged the woman's age at about sixty, but the untrained eye would see her as much less. She had the look of the pampered aristocrat, who never had to work a day in her life.

"Can I help you?" Catherine asked, eyeing the woman nervously. She didn't like the woman's look.

"Actually, honey, you can." Now only a few feet away from Catherine, the woman reached out to shake hands. "My name is Marsha Taylor. I was married to Sam Braun, your father."

"I see." Catherine replied coldly as she shook Marsha's gloved hand. Marsha wore a prim and taylored suit the color of rubies, along with an oversized mink scarf that she draped ceremoniously over one shoulder. At her feet she wore blood red stilettos that looked as dangerous as her smile.

"As you are well aware, dear Sam has allocated his fortune amongst the different women in his life. I hear from his braindead lawyer that you received over one million of that fortune."

Taken aback at the lawyers indiscretion, Catherine tried to play it cool. "It is not your business the amount of money Sam left to me."

"But you see, honey, it is." Voice dripping with properiety, Marsha reached into her glorious prada purse and pulled out a glistening .22 pistol. "Sam had 3 wives in his life. If you count your tramp mother.

"Wife number two was some other show girl," Marsha continued, eyes gleaming. "She only lasted a year. Then Sam met me. Daughter of one of his competitors. Needless to say, Daddy went broke and died twenty years ago, penniless. But I had Sam. But then, after fifteen years of devotion, Sam cheats on me with some skank stripper, much like yourself, and leaves me for her. I'm just here to get what's rightfully mine."

Catherine's eyes were glued to the gun which was pointed purposely at her heart. The only thought going through her mind was that Lindsey was upstairs. All that mattered was keeping Lindsey safe.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked, glancing up from the gun to look Marsha dead in the eye.

"Honey, is it that hard to figure out?" Marsha laughed bitterly. "I want you to write me a check for that 1.5 million Sam gave to you. The money that is rightfully mine. I was with him longer than you ever even knew he was your father."

"You doing this to wife number two as well?" Catherine joked, immediately regretting it once she saw the gleam in Marsha's eye.

"She fought for it." Marsha said wickedly. "And she also died for it."

Unsure of whether or not she was lying, Catherine decided it was safer to simply follow instructions.

"Okay, well my checkbook is inside, will you let me go get it?" She asked slowly, her eyes back on the gun.

"I'll follow you." Marsha replied, her voice solemn now. "Now get going."

Turning around with her hands held in the air, Catherine began to walk slowly towards her front door, Marsha following her with the gun pressed into her back. When she was inside, she heard Marsha shut the front door behind her. Glancing around anxiously for anything she could hit the woman with, Catherine continued the walk towards her purse which lay on the kitchen counter.

"Okay, I'm going to reach inside and grab my checkbook."

"Let me get it, I don't want you pulling out your cop gun on me." Marsha huffed as she walked over to the counter and began to rumage through the purse, all the while keeping her eyes and gun on Catherine.

When she found the checkbook, she flipped it open and handed it to Catherine, along with a pen.

As she began to write the date on the check, the doorbell suddenly rang. Marsha whirled around, her gun now pointed at the door. With one fell swoop Catherine grabbed the gun and knocked Marsha to the floor. The gun went off with a bang, the bullet crashing into one of the kitchen windows.

Warrick stood outside, crouched down low by the door. Still shaking from the sound of the gunshot, he fought to gain control of himself. Glancing down at his hands, he realized that they were trembling. Angry with himself, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911. Leaving the phone outside, he slowly opened the front door to Catherine's house and stepped inside.

He heard the angry cries coming out of the kitchen, and rushed towards it afraid of what he might find. He saw Catherine on top of some other woman, both of them struggling to reach a .22 that was only inches away. Jumping over them he kicked the gun out of the way and began to pry the women apart. When Marsha took a swipe at him he tackled her to the ground himself and slipped on the handcuffs Catherine handed to him.

"I don't know who you think you are, lady, but you've made a big mistake." Warrick said bitterly as he cuffed her and left her on the floor. Marsha was crying now, angry, spiteful tears as she cursed and kicked at Catherine.

At the sound of sirens outside, Catherine turned to Warrick in disbelief. "Thank you." was all she could say as she walked to the door to let the police inside. Glancing up the staircase she spotted Lindsey, face white as a sheet.

"Mom?" Lindsey said softly, tears steaming down her face.

"Lindsey!" Catherine cried out as her daughter came running into her arms. Grasping her tightly, she let out a breath of relief that they were both okay.

Warrick watched as the police took away the screaming Marsha Taylor, her mink scarf covered in her own blood from her bleeding nose. He smirked at her and took a deep breath, trying to calm his furiously beating heart.

He hadn't known that the sound of a gunshot would bring back so many painful memories. He supposed it was a good thing he wasn't out on the field anymore. He had almost frozen up, almost run away. But then he had thought of Catherine, and he realized that he couldn't lose her.

Walking towards her now, he tried to put on a smile. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Catherine replied, releasing her hold on her daughter and gazing down at her. "Everything is fine now."

"Good." When Catherine turned to him, Warrick pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I was so scared, Cath, so scared that I would lose you."

With a half laugh, half sob, Catherine wrapped her arms around him as well. "I was scared too. Until you showed up."

"Are you going to introduce me or what?" Lindsey asked impatiently, sending a judging look at Warrick.

"Yes," Catherine pulled away and turned towards her daughter. "Lindsey, this is Warrick, my..."

"Boyfriend." Warrick finished, preferring to get to the point. With a polite shake of hands, Lindsey seemed to approve.

"He's pretty hot, mom, good job." Was all she said before heading back upstairs to tell her online friends what had happened.

Covering her face in her hands, Catherine started laughing. When she looked up at Warrick there were tears in her eyes.

"Do you know how hard it is to get her to say anything?" She pushed away her tears and sat down at the base of the stairs. "She never opens up to me. Hell, that's the most she's said to me in such a long time."

"Maybe she just never knows _how_ to tell you things." Warrick replied, sitting beside her. Putting an arm around her, he pulled her close.

"I suppose." Catherine sighed and leaned into Warrick, fighting off the feeling of momentary damsel in distress weakness. She'd held her own during the fight, even if it took a man to bring it to a close.

"So what was all this about, anyways?"

"She wanted my share of Sam's money."

"I see...you didn't tell me you'd gotten your inheritance." Warrick began to run his hand through her hair, reveling in the golden glow of it.

"That's because I had no intention of keeping it." Catherine sighed, enjoying his soft caresses. "I'm to donate most of it to charity, and put some of it into Lindsey's college fund."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate that."

"Yeah right, she wants me to buy her a car." Catherine snorted as she stared up into Warrick's sage eyes. "She'll come around, right? Tell me that she'll get better."

"We're only rebellious teenagers once. Let her ride it out. Once she does, chances are she'll appreciate you even more for putting up with it."

"You're probably right." Catherine smiled and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'm sorry our evening together has been interrupted..."

"A little bit of excitement is always nice." Standing up, he reached for her and pulled her into his arms. Catherine looked up at him and felt warm chills race through her body.

Sighing, she leaned into him and let herself fall.

"I never knew that I'd fall in love with you." She said softly, suddenly realizing what she had just said out loud. Pulling away, she stared into his astonished eyes. "I mean..."

"Don't take it back." He pleaded, his hands coming up to cup her face. "Please don't ever take that back."

"Does this mean that you love me too?" She said with a weak smile.

"I can't believe you never knew."

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The End!! thanks for reading everyone! I know that this has been a pretty long journey, but I'm so happy to have finished. I have plans (if time permits now that I'm back in school!) to write a third part to this little series I've created. How could I EVER leave out Nick, whom I've come to love almost (and I mean almost..) as much as I love Grissom! I think I'm going to call the next story Let Her In, or something like that. Please look out for it, as it should be coming very soon! Thanks again for reading!!


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